


A Bat and His Two Birds

by Merfilly



Category: DCU - Comicverse
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-31
Updated: 2007-12-31
Packaged: 2017-12-14 07:59:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/834538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce grew up with a sister, and found a little brother</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Bat and His Two Birds

Tragedy struck when she was barely two. Both her parents fell in a fight that had overwhelmed the initial response of the Justice Society of America. The remaining members all wanted to see her in a good home, but none of them dared take her in for fear of orphaning her twice over.

Alan Scott, then Green Lantern, took charge, going to speak to Thomas Wayne, a long time proponent of the JSA, and upstanding member of Gotham's society. He also happened to be acquainted with Alan directly, through various charitable events. Alan knew the Waynes had wanted another child, to let their son have a sibling, and he also knew they were a stable, safe couple.

Thomas had consulted his wife Martha, and they agreed to take the toddling girl into their home. Bruce, their son, was absolutely delighted by the girl, bringing her out of her shock and winning her heart over. Alfred, their butler, was often found with the child in his kitchen, already solemnly mimicking his actions on her play kitchen set he had allowed her in the breakfast nook.

The life of the small family had fallen into a comfortable pattern, when Bruce's eighth birthday rolled around. They were to go to a movie, to celebrate, but Dinah, aged two and a half now, was sick with one of those swift, mysterious childhood fevers. Thomas almost canceled, but Dinah begged him to take Brucie no matter what, that she would be fine with her Alfie.

She was still feverish when they arrived at the police station, but she flew into her brother's arms, seeing the tragedy in his face, though Alfred had not yet told her the news. Bruce held tight to her, his world shattered into bits, except for the ray of light he held. An uncharitable soul called her 'bad luck' in the papers, and Alfred threatened to sue on her behalf.

As Thomas and Martha had formally adopted her, the guardianship now fell to Alfred and Doctor Leslie Thompkins. The pair of adults would never have dreamed of breaking the pair up, seeing how solidly they drew comfort from one another, to rise above the loss of both sets of parents.

`~`~`~`~`

**Wayne Heiress collapses at charity ball; Wayne Heir takes sister to European spas**

**Wayne Enterprises issues a public apology for Dinah Lance-Wayne's treatment of the Zandian ambassador**

**Bruce Wayne to continue goodwill tour of Asia**

Dinah sighed and dropped the memory book back on the table. "Alfie, I don't know why you insist on keeping the ridiculous cover stories."

"Because, Miss Dinah, they are just as critical to you and Master Bruce's lives as the training, as the meetings with Mister Scott, as the venturing along rooftops under moonless skies." He straightened the book, and braced an instant before she rocketed up out of her chair, hugging him. At sixteen, Dinah was every bit the lady when needed, a scamp at home, and as dedicated to justice as her beloved brother.

"You say so, and it is humorous at times, to look back over the fictions we have created to be Bruce and Dinah Wayne." She let go of her guardian, and sighed. "And damned if we don't have to appear tonight in those masks."

"Those masks, as you insist on calling them, have served you both well from time to time." He gave her a fond look. "Do go ready yourself, Miss Dinah. Master Bruce will no doubt be edgy enough to not wish to wait on you, and I do detest having to drive twice over for the pair of you."

"Roger wilco…" She flew upstairs before he could scold about proper radio language, and how those two terms should not be used together in communications.

`~`~`~`~`

Bruce kept an eye on Dinah as they both whirled through the public life they barely tolerated. From Bruce's sixteenth birthday on, they had been in the public eye far more than either of them had ever wanted, but they both understood the necessity.

Dinah had debuted at fourteen, his 'date' to parties and events alike. It had felt safer, had protected Bruce from the scores of women trying to get at his fortunes or the infamy of being seen with him.

She had also set up her 'flaws' for the world to see, making him shine brighter as her caring, concerned, older brother. Sneaking drinks, flirting with older men, flaring temper tantrums…the press ate it up, used it as the reasons the pair would vanish from public eye. She was as skilled a thespian as he was, and knew just how and when to stage her 'spells' or fits. All it took was a nod from him, or, more often, she would see something not right in the way the Commissioner or the mayor was acting.

They had yet to miss a major takedown due to charity.

All the trips overseas, meeting people the JSA had known, who would teach them, had put Bruce out on the streets, waging war on the mafia at the age of eighteen. Dinah had joined him in months, keeping to the shadows, another pair of eyes, and often his field medic or driver when he got hurt too bad.

She had only just started wearing her mother's costume. As feared as the Bat was in the industrial areas, the ghostly Black Canary inspired a different type of fear in the tenements, in the neighborhoods awash with prostitution and drugs. Champion of the women, of the abused, of the kids…and she made her mother's name shine in ways that had reduced Wildcat to tears.

This time, it was Bruce who saw the commissioner slip out. He caught his sister's eye, and she gave just the briefest nod while her escort of the moment was looking away. Without hesitation, she stumbled, blaming the low heels and the carpeting, before trying to take a step and wincing. Her voice rose plaintively, and Bruce took his cue, joining her as she complained her ankle hurt and she wanted to go home now. The man she had been talking to tried to soothe her, making her more irritable, and finally Bruce put his arm around her, apologizing profusely that he would take her home. Within minutes they were out of the society gathering, into their car, and she was shimmying into costume in the backseat.

"You get better and better at that, Dinah," he told her, staring straight ahead.

"Learned it from the best, Bruce," she purred. When she slipped back over the seat, he was pulling into a garage he kept on this side of town…and she was already moving. By the time he geared up, she would have retrieved their scanner equipment and be waiting for him on the nearby roof meeting point.

Theirs was a team of shadow work, but no one could beat them at the game.

`~`~`~`~`

Bruce paced in trapped worry as Dinah held the boy in her arms. She gave him a look that threatened bodily harm if he woke the child, now that he had both given into tears and passed out.

"I agree, we can offer him the most, Dinah. But he is a child."

"And older than he looks, Bruce, in his heart and eyes. I saw it; the Commissioner saw it; Alfred saw it."

"What do you want to do, sister?"

"Raise him, for now. I can focus on him, help him learn. He's used to performing already; he'll see the masks we use, and I bet anything…it's burning in him to see the world we do. The one where no child loses their family."

Bruce sighed softly. "He's just a child."

"He's the same age you were."

Bruce jerked, and turned away from the woman he had shared all the good and bad with in his life since that fateful night.

"Take care of him. We'll see how it goes from here." He left her to go prepare for a new night, intending to follow up on the tragedy of Haly's Circus. Dinah had solid instincts, and they both had committed so young to their mission, but Bruce was not sure this new kid joining them was the best idea.

`~`~`~`~`

The doubts on Dick Grayson remained…until the night a very determined little boy found the cave completely on his own.

Even then, Bruce hesitated. Even his resolve, though, gave way under the assault of those blue eyes, that fierce determination, the entire body saying 'let me help'.

Dinah was the one who smiled fondly, the first time she came back from patrol to find Bruce holding the well worn-out boy. Her brother merely scowled, but the look was fleeting, replaced by sincere love for this being of energy and drive that had graced their lives.

`~`~`~`~`

Whereas Dinah had seen the potential, and Bruce saw the lost boy to cherish, Alfred saw a boy to spoil as Bruce had not allowed himself to be. Alfred was indulgent with the boy's whims, seeing the way he fearlessly explored every nook and cranny. After a few heart stopping thrills as the acrobat found ways to get up high, Alfred learned to focus that energy in other directions.

If he got too rowdy, Dinah was usually on hand to take the boy down into the cave, to exercise with him until he fell out in exhaustion. It was a happy family, for all that they remained focused on the mission even in the games they challenged Dick with.

If, some nights, the memories of what he had seen became too much, one of the three was there. More often than not, the boy would gasp awake, tumble from the high bed he had been given, and go straight to one of the siblings' room, always remembering which one had stayed home for him that night.

Neither one judged him; they kept him safe in their arms, making him theirs with the full love they had received all their lives from Alfred, from Leslie, from each other. Dick Grayson would forever be a part of the Wayne life, in both venues they lived within.

`~`~`~`~`


End file.
